How to get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid? Bus, Taxi, Car, Tirana to Ohrid, Prices

If you are planning to travel from Tirana to Lake Ohrid, this blog is for you. I will discuss how you can get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus, by taxi or by car, including prices.

How to get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid? You can get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus, by taxi or by car. Buses depart at 8 AM, 9:45 AM, 13 PM and 17 PM, a bus ticket is 17 EUR p.p. A taxi costs 130-140 EUR. A rental car is at least 20-25 EUR a day + border crossing fee + Green Card 15-45 EUR. 

In this blog post, I will outline everything you need to know to travel from Tirana to Lake Ohrid. I will include bus station information, bus ticket prices and how to book and bus timetables. I will also compare taxi prices from Tirana to Lake Ohrid. And explain what you will need to rent a car in Tirana and drive it across the border to Lake Ohrid. 

How to get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus, by taxi or by car?

You can get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus, by taxi or by car. There are no direct or non-stop flights, so your best options are bus, taxi or car. Let me give you a quick overview of the best ways to get to Lake Ohrid!

Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus (summary)

  • Buses depart from Tirana to Lake Ohrid at 8:00 AM, 9:45 AM, 13:00 PM and 17:00 PM.
  • A bus ticket from Tirana to Ohrid costs 17 euros.
  • Buses depart from TEG, which is the Tirana East Terminal at the Tirana East Gate Shopping Center. 
  • You must take a short taxi ride or city bus to get to the Tirana East Terminal, as it is not within walking distance of the city centre of Tirana.
  • You can buy your bus ticket from Tirana to Lake Ohrid online or you can pay cash in person at the bus terminal.
  • You can find more detailed bus information down below.

Tirana to Lake Ohrid by taxi (summary)

  • A taxi from Tirana to Lake Ohrid costs 130-140 euros per taxi.
  • Taxi drivers offer set rates for destinations outside Tirana, so you can reach out to several taxi drivers via WhatsApp or Email and request the rates beforehand for a price comparison.
  • UBER does not exist in Albania. There are some taxi apps like Speed Taxi, Ups Taxi and Taxi Al. However, these offer regular taxi rates not discounted rates.

Tirana to Lake Ohrid by car (summary)

  • A rental car costs at least 20-25 EUR per day for a basic rental car.
  • However, car rentals will be more expensive in the tourist high season in July and August.
  • Border crossing fee: between 0-150 EUR, depending on the car rental company.
  • Green Card for North-Macedonia: 15-45 EUR, to be bought at the border crossing.

Download the Albania Bus Timetable App

  • Search bus timetables for Albania.
  • Find direct and indirect bus routes.
  • Find bus terminals on Google Maps.
  • Ticket prices, departure times and bus operators.

How to get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus?

You can get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by bus. Buses depart from Tirana at 8:00 AM, 9:45 AM, 13:00 PM and 17:00 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana to Ohrid costs 17 euros. Buses depart from TEG, which is the Tirana East Terminal at the Tirana East Gate Shopping Center. 

Tirana to Ohrid bus timetable

Buses from Tirana to Ohrid depart at 8:00 AM, 9:45 AM, 13:00 PM and 17:00 PM. These buses are operated by EuroBus MK and Nela Travel. 

  • Nela Travel operates a bus from Tirana to Ohrid at 8:00 AM, you can book this via their website or the FlixBus website. 
  • Eurobus MK operates a bus from Tirana to Ohrid at 9:45 AM, you can book via the Eurobus website.
  • Eurobus MK operates a bus from Tirana to Ohrid at 13:00 PM, you can book via the Eurobus website.
  • Nela Travel operates a bus from Tirana to Ohrid at 17:00 PM, you can book this via their website or the FlixBus Website.

Tirana to Ohrid bus terminal

All the buses from Tirana to Ohrid depart from TEG. TEG stands for Tirana East Gate, which is a Shopping Mall on the East side of Tirana. At the TEG shopping mall, there is the Tirana East Terminal Bus Station. 

What you have to bear in mind, is that the Tirana East Terminal Bus Station is not within a walking distance of the city centre of Tirana. So you will need to take a short taxi ride or a city bus to get to the Tirana East Terminal.

Taxi drivers do usually offer a metered taxi from Tirana’s city centre to the Tirana East Terminal Bus Station, as this journey depends on the amount of traffic in the city centre. 

Tirana city to Tirana East Terminal by bus

To get from the city centre of Tirana to the TEG Shopping Centre and the Tirana East Terminal Bus Station, you can take either bus line 2 or bus line 8. 

Bus Line 8A departs from the “Dollari A Bus Stop” near the Bank of Albania that is located on the corner of Skanderbeg Square. This bus will take you from Skanderbeg Square via the city centre and the Sauk neighbourhood to the Tirana East Terminal at the TEG Shopping Centre. You can find the location of the bus stop on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nYYrVK4krT5MjtJJ9 

Bus Line 2 departs from “9 Katëshet A Bus Stop” which is behind the Palace of Culture and Ballet. So from Skanderbeg Square walk to the back of the Palace of Culture and Ballet to get on the bus. This bus line will take you from Skanderbeg Square via the Tirana Zoo to the Tirana East Terminal at the TEG Shopping Centre. You can find the location of the bus stop on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/N6vHV4rUPxACb9RYA 

Where to book a bus ticket from Tirana to Ohrid?

You can buy your bus ticket online on the Eurobus MK website or the Nela Travel website or on FlixBus. A bus ticket from Tirana to Ohrid costs euros per person. 

You can also buy a bus ticket in person in cash at the bus terminal. Cash transactions are very normal in Albania. Most Albanians pay the majority of their expenses by cash, not by card. 

You will definitely need some cash money during your trip through Albania for little shops and small expenses. And you will also need cash to pay for a bus ticket from the city centre to the Tirana East Terminal Bus Station. 

Download the Albania Bus Timetable App

  • Search bus timetables for Albania.
  • Find direct and indirect bus routes.
  • Find bus terminals on Google Maps.
  • Ticket prices, departure times and bus operators.

How much is a taxi from Tirana to Lake Ohrid?

A taxi from Tirana to Lake Ohrid costs between 130-140 euros, depending on the taxi company you ask. You can easily contact taxi drivers via WhatsApp or Email. Some of the popular taxi companies in Tirana are Merr Taxi, Green Taxi, Speed Taxi, Smart Taxi, City Taxi and Lux Taxi. 

UBER Taxi does not exist in Albania. Although there are some taxi apps like Speed Taxi App, Ups Taxi App and Taxi AL App. These Taxi apps do not offer discounted rates, they offer regular taxi prices. So it will be the same as asking rates via WhatsApp or Email.

Can I rent a car and drive from Tirana to Lake Ohrid across the border?

You can rent a car and drive from Tirana to Lake Ohrid across the border, but you will need permission to cross the border from the car rental company and a Green Card. 

Car rental prices Tirana to Lake Ohrid:

  • A rental car costs at least 20-25 EUR per day for a basic rental car.
  • Border crossing fee: between 0-150 EUR, depending on the car rental company.
  • Green Card for North-Macedonia: 15-45 EUR, varying by car rental company.

You can find a helpful list of car rental companies in Tirana on the website of Tirana Airport. You can reach them quickly via WhatsApp or Email. I recommend you compare rates before you travel to avoid a very expensive car rental. 

Car rental prices start from 20-25 euros per day, but can be much more expensive for bigger or more luxurious cars. And also in July and August in the tourism high season, you can expect to pay a higher rate. 

On top of the car rental price, you may need to pay a border crossing fee. The rate for the border crossing fee is anywhere between 0-150 euros, as it depends on the car rental company. Some car rental companies do not charge a border crossing fee, others charge for example 25 euros for a border crossing fee per reservation or Hertz Tirana Airport charges 150 euros for a cross border fee.

Regardless of the border crossing fee, you will always need a Green Card insurance document. This will extend the insurance of the rental car to the North Macedonia terrain. A Green Card can be bought at the border for costs 15-45 euros. 

Below, I will give you some insight in what a car rental, border crossing fee and Green Card for North Macedonia will cost you: 

  • City Rent Albania charges 25 euros per day for a Ford Fiesta. And a Green Card for the North Macedonian border costs 40 euros. 
  • ARA Auto Rental Albania at the airport charges 20 euros per day for a Fiat Punto 2018. A Green Card for North Macedonia costs 40 euros.
  • Avis Rent a Car Tirana airport charges 25 euros per day for a Opel Corsa Manual 2022. A Green Card for North Macedonia costs 15 euros.
  • Hertz Tirana Airport charges 22 euros per day for a Suzuki Ignis 2019 or similar. Hertz charges 150 euros for a cross border fee. And 45 euros for a Green Card for Macedonia.
  • Eurocar Rentals Tirana charges 25 euros per day for a Kia Rio from 2021. Their cross border fee is 25 euros per reservation. And Green Card Insurance costs 40 euros, this is valid for 15 days.
  • Albania Airport Rent a Car charges 25 euros per day for a Skoda Fabia. A Green Card for Macedonia costs 45 euros.
  • G Rentals Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for an Opel Corsa 2021. A Green Card for North Macedonia costs 20 euros.
  • Eagle Car Rental Tirana charges 20 euros for a Volkswagen Up. A Green Card for Macedonia costs 40 euros and is valid for 14 days.
  • Sixt Car Rental Tirana airport charges 25 euros per day for a Mitsubishi Space Start or Hyundai Accent. The permission to cross the border costs 15 euros extra. And a Green Card for Macedonia costs 15 euros.


What is the best route to drive from Tirana to Lake Ohrid?

The driving route from Tirana to Lake Ohrid is very beautiful. First, you drive from Tirana to the South and you drive through the city of Elbasan. From Elbasan, you drive in the direction of Lake Ohrid. 

This route is surrounded by stunning mountains, there is a beautiful rushing river along the road and you will see some of the old railway tracks on high bridges and tunnels. You can stop along the river at some of the riverside cafes with beautiful mountain and river views and you will be surrounded by lovely flowers. 

Once you get to the shore of Lake Ohrid, you will be offered a choice of going to Ohrid on the North-Macedonian side or turning towards Pogradec on the Albanian side of Lake Ohrid. 

What is the distance from Tirana to Lake Ohrid?

The distance from Tirana to Lake Ohrid is 130 kilometres. It will take you approximately 2.5 hours to drive from Tirana to Lake Ohrid by car, by bus or by taxi. Bear in mind that you will need to cross the border to North-Macedonia, so you may have to wait a while if it is busy. 

Is there a flight from Tirana to Ohrid?

In my online search, I was not able to find a direct flight from Tirana to Ohrid. So the best ways to get from Tirana to Ohrid are by bus, by taxi or by car.

How long does it take to get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid?

It takes roughly 2.5 hours to get from Tirana to Lake Ohrid. It depends on the time of day and the traffic at the border crossing. Some buses will predict a journey time of 2 hours and 15 min and others suggest a journey time of 2 hours and 45 minutes. So it takes approximately 2.5 hours. 

How to get from Tirana to Pogradec on the shore of Lake Ohrid?

Ohrid city is on the shore of Lake Ohrid on the North Macedonian side. Another option is going to Pogradec, which is a town on the shore of Lake Ohrid on the Albanian side of the Lake. 

Pogradec is a small lakeside town on the shore of Lake Ohrid on the Albanian side. One of the highlights to visit are the springs of Drilon. These freshwater springs deposit water into Lake Ohrid. It is a beautiful place with calm water, lovely swans, little red boats on the water, a lovely bridge crossing the water and wooden terraces on the water for a relaxing coffee break or lunch. 

You can get from Tirana to Pogradec by bus. Buses to Pogradec depart from the Tirana South-East Bus Terminal near the Grand Park of Tirana. Buses depart at 6:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:30 PM and 15:30 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana to Pogradec costs 600 Leke (around 6 euros) per person. You must pay cash to the bus driver when getting on the bus.

Related Questions

How to get from Lake Ohrid to Tirana by bus? You can get from Lake Ohrid to Tirana by bus. Buses depart from Ohrid at 8:00 AM and 14:00 PM. You will arrive in Tirana at 10:25 AM or 16:50 PM. A bus ticket costs 17 euros per person. Buses depart from the Ohrid Bus Station. You can book online on the website of Eurobus MK. 

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About me

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania

Kind regards,
Manon

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Welcome to Albania!

I am a Tour Guide in Albania

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania.